Torrential rains hit Orange County, send visitors scrambling for cover at Disneyland
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- A powerful but brief Friday night downpour hit Orange County, temporarily closing rides at Disneyland.
- The storm passed in less than an hour, but forecasters warn of possible coastal flooding and record-breaking tides from Sunday through Thursday.
After the National Weather Service warned of strong Friday evening thunderstorms and heavy rain in the Inland Empire, Santa Ana Mountains and Orange County, a brief, powerful storm forced visitors to race for cover at Disneyland.
Addison Zegan, 36, a self-proclaimed Disney adult who runs the Disneylanders Instagram and Spotify accounts, was at California Adventure when he heard thunder and lightning around 7 p.m. He walked over to Disneyland to film the storm, and soon after, experienced “the biggest California raindrops I’ve ever seen.”
He says several rides closed as cast members worked to get people to safety. “It was dark, and people were really confused. They were hunkering down because the rain was so bad,” he added.
As a taste of what Southern Californians can expect with El Niño on the way, videos on social media showed drenched people pushing strollers through the flooded Anaheim amusement park while twinkling lights and cheerful music played in the background. Zegan posted a video of people wading through Frontierland as a cast member tried to unclog a drain. He estimates the storm ended around 7:45 p.m.
According to a Disneyland spokesperson, the park temporarily closed some areas due to weather impacts, which is standard operating procedure during heavy rain.
